[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2787) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2787~en-mt) › 3.70 # 四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 3.70 English (machine translation) 3.70 - **Language:** English ### [3.70](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2787~en-mt.3.70) “If a monk goes to a lay family, and they invite and give the monk cakes, parched barley meal, and boiled rice, if the monk needs it, he should accept two or three bowls; returning to the saṅghārāma, he should share it with the monks to eat. If a monk, being without illness, accepts more than two or three bowls, brings it back to the saṅghārāma, and does not share it with the monks to eat, it is a prāyaścittika.” This complete Prātimokṣa text has three clauses: 1. The person who offends. 2. The standard for permitted reception and the rule for eating. 3. From “if being without illness” onward, taking excessively in violation of the teaching and stating the offense. The first clause is understandable. Within the second clause, there are three sections: 1. Offering travel provisions. 2. From “if a monk” onward, teaching the limit of reception. The reason for permitting the limit: 3. In order to cause the donor to obtain the reward of reciprocal blessing, and also to cause the monk to sustain his body and advance in the Path. 3. From “returning to the saṅghārāma” onward, teaching the method of eating. The third clause reverses the above second text of permitted reception, etc. In distinguishing the characteristics: The first clause is understandable, as above. In the second clause, “a lay family”: The Vinaya says there are men and women, hence it is so stated. “Give cakes, parched barley meal, and boiled rice”: these are the five proper foods. “Accept two or three bowls”: this is teaching the limit of reception. The Sarvāstivāda-vinaya-vibhāṣā says: If with a large bowl, taking one bowl is without fault, and taking two bowls is an offense. With a medium bowl, taking two is not an offense, but three is an offense. With a small bowl, taking two is not an offense, and only with four bowls is it an offense. When the text says “more than three bowls,” it speaks in terms of the small bowl. Second, “being without illness”: this is an exception. The Vinaya says that because \[the sick\] cannot be fully satisfied by good food in a single sitting, it is permitted and not an offense. “Accepting excessively is a prāyaścittika”: this is the third clause stating the offense. The Vinaya says: If one person takes more than three bowls, the first three persons do not offend, because they did not exceed the limit; the last person offends, because the first three persons told him not to bring more, yet he went and took excessively; when the last person steps beyond that threshold, he immediately commits a prāyaścittika offense. If he undertakes the preparatory act and repents, it is a duṣkṛta. The Mahīśāsaka Vinaya says: Accepting excessively and not sharing it with the monks to eat both incur prāyaścittika offenses. In the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya, accepting excessively incurs a prāyaścittika, and not sharing incurs a duṣkṛta. The Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya says: After the woman and merchant have departed, it is not an offense. The Vinaya says: “There is no offense”: if one accepts two or three bowls; if being ill, one accepts in excess; if having asked, one shares it; if they themselves deliver it to the monastery; if they deliver it to the nunnery—in all such cases of receiving, there is no offense. - [Previous: 3.69](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2787~en-mt.3.69) - [Next: 3.71](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2787~en-mt.3.71) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2787~en-mt.3) ## Linked texts (1) - [四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2787.3.70) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2787~en-mt.3.70](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2787~en-mt.3.70) · Pramāṇa